News Chargers Team Notes

[Los Angeles Chargers]

5 Questions with Silver & Black Pride: Raiders fans feeling confident after first win under Pete Carroll

This week, we’re joined by Matt Holder of our Las Vegas Raiders sister site, Silver & Black Pride, to help us preview this week’s matchup.

Holder is as good as they come when the Raiders are involved so you’re sure to learn something about this matchup by the end of your read.

Let’s go ahead and jump in. Enjoy!

1.) The Raiders came winners against the Patriots in Week One. How is the fan base feeling after their first win under new head coach Pete Carroll? Did the team show enough to predict a better season than in 2024 or is it too early to tell?

Raider Nation is feeling pretty confident right now. Carroll, despite turning 75 years old on the day of the game, has injected a new energy into the team and that extended to the fanbase after the win in the season opener. Also, finally having a competent starting quarterback in Geno Smith helps, especially since Smith put the offense on his back last week and carried the team to victory.

It’s hard to get much worse than the 4-13 performance from a year ago, so the feeling is definitely that the Raiders will be better this season with a new head coach and quarterback. That being said, I think most fans are realistic about the roster and know the team is probably a year away from being a legitimate contender in the AFC. Most seem to agree that Las Vegas will be frisky and win a few games they shouldn’t, but will probably land in the eight-to-nine-win mark this season.

2.) Ashton Jeanty was the player everyone was waiting to see in Week One. How did his performance compare to expectation heading into the regular season? What did you like or dislike about his first real game in the NFL?

It was an underwhelming debut for Jeanty with 19 carries for just 38 yards (2.0 ypc). The offensive line was the bigger issue, though, as they struggled in the running game, so he didn’t have much room to run. However, I would like to see the rookie be more patient in the backfield to help set up the blocks, and Carroll even mentioned that this week. I am confident that Jeanty will fix the issue because he showed more patience at Boise State. I get the sense that he was just a little over-eager in his first real NFL game.

What I did like about Jeanty’s debut is that he showed some toughness to fight through contact and punch it in his first NFL touchdown. On that play specifically, he got contacted in the backfield but kept his legs moving to regain the lead that the Raiders never gave back. He also had a couple of nice nine-yard runs to provide some more encouragement moving forward.

3.) If you were Chargers offensive coordinator Greg Roman, how would you go about attacking this Raiders defense? Which players are you circling in the game plan to exploit or target?

I’d put Ladd McConkey in the slot and make the Raiders prove they can stop him. The defense doesn’t have a good nickelback option, which has forced the coaching staff to go back to a more “old school” approach of leaning heavily on base personnel (three linebackers, four defensive backs) and using nickel personnel (two linebackers, five defensive backs) as a sub package. In recent years, the trend around the league has been the opposite with how prominent the passing game has become.

So, McConkey can either draw matchups with linebackers and/or safeties, or a subpar nickel in Darnay Holmes. To put it in perspective, Holmes only participated in 21 out of 54 coverage snaps last week (all covering the slot) but gave up the most receiving yards on the team with 73, per Pro Football Focus.

4.) If you were Chargers defensive coordinator Jesse Minter, what are the answers to limiting Geno Smith, Brock Bowers, and the aforementioned Jeanty? Are there any other offensive players the Bolts will need to keep an eye on?

If you can get pressure on Smith early in the game, he’ll stop trusting the offensive line and start trying to play hero ball. That’s how a lot of his interceptions have come in the past, so I’d expect Minter to dial up some blitzes and simulated pressures to rattle the offensive line and Geno a bit. Additionally, that can help stop Jeanty, especially since the line is coming off a game where they were consistently getting stuffed in the running game.

Bowers is a tough one because he’s the definition of a matchup nightmare; too big for defensive backs and too athletic for linebackers. But the Chargers might have the perfect antidote in Derwin James Jr. The safety did a pretty good job of keeping Bowers in check during both games last year, so I’d make sure he’s constantly lined up across from the tight end.

One under-the-radar player Chargers fans should keep tabs on is wide receiver Tre Tucker. While Tucker only had two catches last week, he still recorded 54 yards and the team’s only receiving touchdown. Also, he was open on a few vertical routes and just didn’t get the ball, which I can chalk up to playing with a new quarterback. I expect Smith to see that on film and look for Tucker more often. In my opinion, the third-year pro is due for a breakout campaign this year and should become a good third option in the passing game behind Bowers and Jakobi Meyers.

5.) Go ahead and give us a short game prediction along with a final score. Who gets the win and sole possession of the AFC West after just two weeks of the 2025 season?

It pains me to say this, but 21-17 Chargers. I think this will be a close game and a lot of people are going to be surprised by Las Vegas hanging tough with Los Angeles, but I think the Raiders aren’t quite there yet. I hope I’m wrong, though!

Source: https://www.boltsfromtheblue.com/lo...-confident-after-first-win-under-pete-carroll

 

[Los Angeles Chargers]

3 Things to Watch for in Chargers-Raiders: Which 1st-round RB will lead their team to victory?

The Chargers and Raiders cap off the entire Week Two slate as they play the second part of Monday night’s double-header. Kickoff is scheduled for 7:00 p.m., so if you’re not in that time zone, you’re bound for a late night.

This matchup also brings together Jim Harbaugh and Pete Carroll for the first time since they were both coaches in the NFC West duking it out with the Niners and Seahawks. Both coaches have similar offensive philosophies and they both own some of the best personality in the entire league. Everyone will be watching this game which means it’s a great time for the Chargers to take yet another step towards winning the AFC West.

However, you can’t count out the Raiders on their home turf. It’s going to be tough, no matter what that final score reads.

Buckle up. It’s going to be a good one!

Alright, let’s go ahead and check out my three storylines I’ll be watching this week when the Bolts take the field in Las Vegas.

1.) Will it be Omarion Hampton or Ashton Jeanty that outperforms the other?​

This is the first of what should be many career matchups between Hampton and Jeanty, both of whom were taken in the first round of this year’s NFL draft. Jeanty was the generational prospect taken sixth overall by Las Vegas while Hampton was the close second behind him in the latest draft class. He obviously ended up in LA with the 22nd pick.

In each of their first real NFL games, both backs struggled to light up the stat sheet. While Jeanty did find the end zone, he posted just 38 yards on 19 carries (2.0 yards per carry). As for Hampton, he took 15 carries for 48 yards (3.2 YPC) but did not record a score.

Both of these teams passed their way to victory in Week One, but we all know each of these head coaches love to run the rock. I would be shocked if at least one of — if not both — Hampton or Jeanty greatly improved on their recent performances.

If I had to guess, I’m going with Hampton as the one with the higher chance of popping off. Joe Alt knows how to handle Maxx Crosby and overall the front five of the Chargers looked better than their Raiders counterpart. Las Vegas averaged just 2.3 yards per carry as a team. The Chargers defense stifled the Chiefs on the ground and I expect them to do the same against another AFC West opponent.

2.) How will the Chargers defense handle All-Pro tight end Brock Bowers (if he even plays)?​

As of Thursday afternoon, Bowers was a non-participant in the Raiders’ first practice of the week with a knee injury he sustained against the Patriots. That’s a good thing for the Chargers, but anything could happen with two more practices to go before final reports are due.

When he was healthy, Bowers picked up right where he left off a year ago. Raiders quarterback Geno Smith found Bowers five times for 103 yards against New England as he looked as dominant as he did the entire 2024 season.

So this begs the question: How will the Chargers go about defending Bowers while making sure they don’t allow a Jeanty breakout game?

My guess is something similar to how they put a cap on Travis Kelce (outside of his touchdown where the whole secondary was duped). Derwin James will likely draw that assignment most of the night. Behind him I’d expect Daiyan Henley to also help there. The only issue there is outside of Henley, the Chargers linebacker room is shorthanded with injuries to Denzel Perryman and Del’Shawn Phillips nursing ailments. All this means is there are less players capable of being assigned to him than before. It limits what Jesse Minter can do with his personnel but knowing him, he’ll whip up a plan worthy of this matchup.

3.) Will Khalil Mack record his first sack of the season against his former team?​

Mack posted 1.5 sacks in 2024 across his two matchups with the team that drafted him. His franchise record-setting performance in 2023 was also set against the Raiders when he took down Aidan O’Connell six times in one game.

The 2023 season saw Mack record a career-high 17 sacks. However, that number plummeted in year one under Jim Harbaugh to just six, the same number of tackles for loss he recorded, as well. Still, the defense was great and Mack’s influence as a run defender is still just as strong as it’s ever been. While he may not show up in the sack column at the same clip compared to years past, his fingerprints continue to be all over the Chargers’ defensive performances.

But if there was ever a good time to find the quarterback for the first time in 2025, you might as well make it Geno Smith on his home turf.

Source: https://www.boltsfromtheblue.com/lo...-1st-round-rb-will-lead-their-team-to-victory